A lot of digital crackles!They appear only when I playback my recordings.The audio recorded is not altered by crackles, this is just a monitoring issue.

The problem appears randomly. Sometimes it's ok, sometimes it's not.

Here is a list of everything I tried to resolve this :

- I disabled all Windows built-in audio devices in my system.- I changed buffer size to all available values - no luck!- I uninstalled/reinstalled Tascam drivers- My Tascam firmware is up to date.- I tried to change the USB 3.0 port where I plug my audio unit (there are 2 USB 3.0 and 1 USB 2.0 ports on my laptop).- I tried to plug the unit with a USB 2.0 cable on my USB 2.0 port.- I disabled wifi- I uninstalled/reinstalled USB 3.0 drivers in Windows- ASIO is selected in both Pro Tools and Reaper- I tried to power on the unit while the OS is up and running- I tried to power on the unit before powering on the computer- When I monitor CPU and RAM in Windows task manager, this is OK (CPU less than 20% and RAM less than 40%)- When I read audio and video files in Windows with the DAW closed, no problem, no crackles!

Still crackles during the playback in the DAWs!!! :madas: :madas: :madas:

Without more info, it sounds like your system's DPC queued is processed too slowly. Dropouts are due to a new interrupt being raised by the interface before the previous one had been processed.Why that happens it's hard to say. Normally it's a driver which takes too much time to process its DPC and thefore slows down the others. You have already disabled the most obvious culprits so probably using xperf could help locating what gets slow. The fact that it happens only at times suggests something that wakes up at times and do something generating DPCs whose handling is dubious. Anything in the task scheduler?

You don't mention you have disabled power management on each device - especially the USB hubs. Device Manager, properties of every device, unclick all the "this device can be managed" whatever (I dont recall, but it's pretty evident when they're there).

blinddrew wrote:As well as Mike's questions, what else is connected to the system (apart from the interface and the laptop)?Cheers

This is a basic configuration.

- Laptop- Tascam interface via USB 3.0- Headphones but no speakers- Avalon U5 connected to the interface with my guitar plugged into it (there are a few pedals between my guitar and the DI).- A microphone connected to the interface

You don't mention you have disabled power management on each device - especially the USB hubs. Device Manager, properties of every device, unclick all the "this device can be managed" whatever (I dont recall, but it's pretty evident when they're there).

blinddrew wrote:As well as Mike's questions, what else is connected to the system (apart from the interface and the laptop)?Cheers

This is a basic configuration.

- Laptop- Tascam interface via USB 3.0- Headphones but no speakers- Avalon U5 connected to the interface with my guitar plugged into it (there are a few pedals between my guitar and the DI).- A microphone connected to the interface

Ok, so you've got a ground through the Avalon. I had a nice set of cracks and pops with my US16x08 at one stage and it took a prompt from here for me to realise that with just the laptop, headphones and interface connected the whole thing was ungrounded.

The fact that the crackles are only coming through on one channel is interesting though. Makes me think mechanical rather than electrical (dodgy lead or pot perhaps?), I assume you've done the basic swapping out of all leads and trying a different set of headphones etc.?

Mike Stranks wrote:So is the crackle still there when you listen to material that wasn't recorded via the Tascam - eg downloaded tracks?

Nope. I've worked in Reaper about 30 minutes this morning and no crackles at all.I'm still sceptical and I want to test it for a couple of hours before saying it's resolved.

Things I've changed since the last time :- Power management disabled for all USB hubs in Windows- Avalon U5 unplugged, I plugged my guitar through the pedals and then directly in the Tascam interface.- Bluetooth disabled- Wifi/Antivirus disabled